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The Secret, Book & Scone Society

(Secret, Book, & Scone Society #1)

Ellery Adams (Goodreads Author)

3.70 · Rating details · 5,626 ratings · 1,085 reviews

From New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams comes the first in an intriguing new series set within a quirky small-town club where the key to happiness, friendship—or solving a murder—can all be found within the pages of the right book . . .

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, ...more

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Hardcover, 290 pages

Published October 31st 2017 by Kensington

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Nov 03, 2017 Juli rated it liked it

Shelves: read-review-copies-2017

Nora Pennington came to Miracle Springs, NC to heal from physical and psychological trauma from her past. Miracle Springs offers healing to everyone who visits. The natural hot springs and spa offer physical comfort. There is also spiritual and psychological healing through baked comfort scones at the Gingerbread House, and bibliotherapy at Miracle Books. Nora runs the bookshop, and always seems to know just the right books to help each customer. The shop is in the old railway depot. She lives Nora Pennington came to Miracle Springs, NC to heal from physical and psychological trauma from her past. Miracle Springs offers healing to everyone who visits. The natural hot springs and spa offer physical comfort. There is also spiritual and psychological healing through baked comfort scones at the Gingerbread House, and bibliotherapy at Miracle Books. Nora runs the bookshop, and always seems to know just the right books to help each customer. The shop is in the old railway depot. She lives nearby in an old caboose, refitted into a tiny house. The murder of a local businessman soon has Nora doing some sleuthing....did he kill himself or was it murder?

Nora soon finds herself bonding with 3 other women in town -- they form the Secret, Book & Scone Society. Their little group finds true friendship amid sleuthing, sharing personal secrets and finding comfort in trust, loyalty and caring.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The story is a nice blend of women's fiction and mystery. I love how Nora's shop uses books to help people heal. I also liked the idea of Hester baking custom scones to give comfort to her customers. The description of her scones and the lovely spices and ingredients she uses just sounds so delicious! The four members of the society are believable and well-developed characters. Each one is so different, yet they all come together as a perfect circle of friends.

I like that the story is set in Western North Carolina where I live. I recognized a lot of the places and regions mentioned in the story. :)

The mystery is nicely paced with some surprising twists, and it isn't overpowered by the emotional healing/friendship portion of the plot. The two intertwine together rather well. I usually avoid women's fiction because it often is just too sappy, overly emotional or melodramatic for me. This book avoids those extremes. The main characters Nora, Hester, Estella and June are nicely developed. They are all very different women, but they come together quite well as close friends.

Although this isn't the type of book I normally read, I enjoyed it. This is a nice start to a new mystery series.

Ellery Adams is the author of several mystery series. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://elleryadamsmysteries.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ...more

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Oct 30, 2017 Book of Secrets°ღ rated it really liked it

THE SECRET, BOOK, AND SCONE SOCIETY is the first in a new series by Ellery Adams that beautifully combines my favorite elements of mystery, magical realism, and women's fiction. The book is set in the enchanting town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina - a place that draws people in need of healing - including main character Nora Pennington and the other members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society. The group forms initially to investigate the death of an out-of-town businessman, but a strong ...more

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Oct 02, 2017 Sarah Joint rated it really liked it

My very first cozy mystery was a good introduction to the genre. This book features lots of literary quotes and references, which definitely earned points with me. The writing is pleasant and detailed, really affording you the opportunity to get to know the characters, who all have a very different voice. The characters in this book aren't perfect, far from it. I've gotten tired of characters too perfect to be real. Our main character, Nora, has a troubled past and disfiguring scars from a fire. My very first cozy mystery was a good introduction to the genre. This book features lots of literary quotes and references, which definitely earned points with me. The writing is pleasant and detailed, really affording you the opportunity to get to know the characters, who all have a very different voice. The characters in this book aren't perfect, far from it. I've gotten tired of characters too perfect to be real. Our main character, Nora, has a troubled past and disfiguring scars from a fire. The rest of the book club has their own stories. Their scars may not be as obvious as the ones Nora has, but they're there. All of them are outsiders of sorts who haven't made many friends in Miracle Springs. The way they tentatively bond with each other, afraid to be hurt but needing comfort and companionship quite desperately, is touching.

Miracle Springs is a small, charming town in North Carolina. People flock there when they need healing. They have natural hot springs and a reputation as being a place to go to relax and heal. Nora is the proprietor of Miracle Books, and she has her own special skills. She can talk to a customer about their life and then select books for them that will help them heal or come to terms with some issue. She uses literature to heal. She's not the only person in town with the ability to help people in unusual ways. Hester is a younger woman with a bakery who makes "comfort scones", specially made for each customer that can invoke memories of happy times.

When a man reaches out to Nora for help as she sits in a park, she sends him to the bakery and tells him to meet her back at the bookstore for some bibliotherapy. She waits patiently, but he never arrives. Local hairdresser Estelle soon visits bursting with news: the man has been killed by a train, and no one is sure if he was pushed or walked in front of it himself. Nora refuses to believe that the man would kill himself, but only a few people are willing to listen: Hester, Estelle, and June, who is a lovely woman who works at the local spa.

Four lonely women have come together to seek the truth and form lasting friendships. They think sharing their secrets is as scary as it gets, but soon they might be in the kind of danger they only read about in books: the man's death is only the tip of the iceberg in a big town secret.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and Kensington books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased. ...more

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Nov 02, 2017 Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley-arc, sandy-s-reading-retreat, women-s-fiction, new-to-me-author, contemporary-fiction, 2017, sandy-s-ng-nirvana, murder-mystery, cosy-mystery, romantic-suspense

EXCERPT: I read all the time. And I listen to people. I really listen...Stories don't change much across continents and centuries. Hearts are broken. Pride is wounded. Souls wander too far from home and become lost. The wrong roads are taken. The incorrect choice is made. Stories echo with loneliness. Grief. Longing. Redemption. Forgiveness. Hope. And love.

THE BLURB: From New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams comes the first in an intriguing new series set within a quirky small-town EXCERPT: I read all the time. And I listen to people. I really listen...Stories don't change much across continents and centuries. Hearts are broken. Pride is wounded. Souls wander too far from home and become lost. The wrong roads are taken. The incorrect choice is made. Stories echo with loneliness. Grief. Longing. Redemption. Forgiveness. Hope. And love.

THE BLURB: From New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams comes the first in an intriguing new series set within a quirky small-town club where the key to happiness, friendship—or solving a murder—can all be found within the pages of the right book . . .

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.

When a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, she knows exactly which novels will help. But before he can keep their appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.

Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to gain trust and earn redemption by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place.

Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cramped and cozy bookstore to share stories and trade support. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .

MY THOUGHTS: I finished The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams last night and I am still undecided. I liked the book. I didn't love it, but I wanted to. It was just a little bit too 'twee', too saccharine. And yet I love the work of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen, to which this has been compared.

I loved the concept of the book, that the right selection of books can soothe our souls, that we can take from books things that will improve our lives, that we can learn great lessons from what we read. I believe that no man is an island, that our friends are our greatest assets. I believe all this. So why didn't The Secret, Book and Scone Society work for me? After pondering for almost 24 hours, I am none the wiser.

Perhaps Nora could recommend some books to sort me out.

3.5☆ I believe that this is the first installment of a planned series. I could be tempted to read the next book.

Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://wordpress.com/post/sandysbook... ...more

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Oct 26, 2017 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Miracle Springs, North Carolina is a small town that is known to be a place of healing. Not only is there a natural hot springs and renowned spa available but many of the shopkeepers in town have their own signature way of healing visitors. Nora Pennington is one of those shopkeepers being the owner of Miracle Books where she considers herself a bit of a bibliotherapist being able to talk with a customer and since which book would help them with their own problems.

When Nora meets a man that Miracle Springs, North Carolina is a small town that is known to be a place of healing. Not only is there a natural hot springs and renowned spa available but many of the shopkeepers in town have their own signature way of healing visitors. Nora Pennington is one of those shopkeepers being the owner of Miracle Books where she considers herself a bit of a bibliotherapist being able to talk with a customer and since which book would help them with their own problems.

When Nora meets a man that seems to be a bit troubled she senses that he could really use a bit of her brand of therapy but first she insists he go over to the Gingerbread House bakery and order one of the comfort scones made by the bakery's owner who also bakes a personal scone after hearing someone's story. But after getting his scone and before returning to the book store that same man ends up in front of the incoming train in what appears to be a suicide.

Nora immediately questions the death, sure she didn't know the man well or hardly at all really but in the moments she'd talked with him she saw a bit of hope in his eyes and knew that there was more to this story than suicide. Gathering with her fellow lady shopkeepers they form the Secret, Book, and Scone Society and dive right into finding out more about the death and the secrets of their small town.

The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams is the first book in the new cozy Miracle Springs, North Carolina mystery series. Picking this one up it becomes immediately apparent that Ms. Adams had to be an avid reader herself since the main character in the story is a book store owner and the book is full of literary quotes and references to many different types of titles all fitting certain situations. As a book lover myself this was a major positive that had me enjoying this one right away.

Also, the theme of a town dedicated to healing was also quite apparent as you get to know the ladies in the story. All of them have their own past that they are trying to overcome and share their secrets to each other during the book making this one quite the touching and emotional story. Each have such a different background to the story but it easily apparent why they are drawn to one another.

As for the mystery side of this cozy I found that it wasn't quite as twisty that I was necessarily guessing all throughout. But with that being said the setting and characters certainly carry this book enough to make it quite a good one as I awaited the details to the conclusion of the story and just how everything had come about. Definitely a solid start to this series overall and would be interested in seeing how it continued now that we know the story behind these characters.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress.... ...more

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Sep 19, 2017 Eve (Between The Bookends) rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It was a bit more serious or darker than most cozy mysteries that I usually read. I think I wouldn't even classify this as a "cozy" mystery but more a just regular type mystery with a slightly cozy touch. In any case, I will say that one of my favorite things about this book was all the book and author mentions and the quotes. It was a bibliophile's dream and made for an excellent reading experience. Not to mention all the yummy sounding scones. I was a bit ...more

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Oct 04, 2017 ☆Dani☆ ☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆ rated it it was amazing

I want to give a huge thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Ellery Adams for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review!

Everyone who is damaged or looking for some sort of healing travels to the small town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina. Strangers come to go to the renowned spa, the natural springs, and five star cuisine so that they can mend their broken souls and/or bodies. If they don’t find relief in these treatments the end up seeing Nora the I want to give a huge thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Ellery Adams for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review!

Everyone who is damaged or looking for some sort of healing travels to the small town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina. Strangers come to go to the renowned spa, the natural springs, and five star cuisine so that they can mend their broken souls and/or bodies. If they don’t find relief in these treatments the end up seeing Nora the bibliotherapist at Miracle Books and Hester for one of her custom comfort scones at the Gingerbread House.

While eating her lunch on the bench a troubled businessman sits by Nora in distress. They make introductions and he tells Nora about his guilt and wanting to do what is right. Nora recommends that he go on to the Gingerbread House and wait for a comfort scone. She then tells the businessman that they can go more in depth what’s going on and that she can prescribe the best books to help him heal and make the right choices for him. Shockingly, the businessman is found dead after visiting the Gingerbread House on his way to see Nora.

Nora has been a shut in and damaged since she moved to Miracle Springs years ago. She carries emotional wounds as well as physical scars on her body. She stays to herself and hasn’t made any friends until now. Hearing the news of the businessman, Nora and three other damaged but great women form a society, The Secret, Book and Scone Society. They all are as troubled as the next but are they able to form a bond and help solve this man’s murder that the sheriff wants to sweep under the rug. Are they able to let go of there past and trust again? Will they all be able to help find the murderer of the man they all tried to help? Read The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams to find out!

This book receives 5++++++ stars out of 5 stars! I absolutely fell in love with this story I didn’t want to stop turning pages but then again I didn’t want it to end. I felt like I could connect with all the main characters and feel their pain and their strength. I loved that it was largely focused around book lovers. There is mention of the everlasting TBR, literary quotes in the beginning of each chapter and so many references to books compared to life experiences. This book warmed my heart and made me proud to be a bibliophile, made me want to be a bibliotherapist, made me cry, had me on the edge of my seat with suspense and had me smiling through my depression. This book should definitely be a best seller! I would have to say this is one of my top favorite books ever! I recommend this to anyone for whatever they are searching for! ...more

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Sep 18, 2017 Taryn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: cozy-mystery

This was a fabulous read, if I could give it more than five stars I would. I kept putting the book down while I was reading it, not because I couldn't get into it but because I didn't want it to end. It pulled me in and I wanted to stay there and get to know the characters more. I so wanted to visit Miracle Springs and have a custom made scone and then go to Miracle Books and have a session with Nora wondering what books she would choose to help me. In this first book of the series you'll meet ...more

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Oct 07, 2017 Elle's Book Blog rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery

Release Date: October 31, 2017
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Miracle Springs, North Carolina #1

The Secret, Book and Scone Society is the first in a brand new cozy mystery series from Ellery Adams. Readers will be introduced to the beautiful setting of this charming small town and meet 4 women who become close friends over a murder that occurs in their town. In an essence, this is what starts their little group of amateur investigating, the secret book and scone society. Each of these women, ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 Lisa Vegan rated it liked it

Recommended to Lisa by: Sfdreams

Shelves: books-about-books, goodreads-author, novel, fiction, mystery, 1-also-at-librarything, reviewed, z2018, zz-3star, readbooks-female-author-or-illust

This has a fun premise. I love the idea of bibliotherapy and women’s friendships and people’s stories/secrets. I love cozy mysteries and I did enjoy this one, though it got a bit violent/intense for my tastes, but just briefly.

There are lots of wonderful quotes that I enjoyed, at the beginning of each chapter and within the book proper, and also mentions of many books.

So, loved the quotes, the concept, the books theme, and that there was some depth to the characters.

But while this is the first ...more

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Dec 24, 2017 ABookwormWithWine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: murder-mystery-thriller, womens-fiction, female-authors, library-books, contemporary, made-me-chuckle, summer-reads, whodunnit, crime, drama

/ 5

My reviews and (maybe) some other random thoughts can also be seen at

https://readingbetweenwinessite.wordp...
____________________________________________________________

"Books are everywhere; and always the same sense of adventure fills us... in this random miscellaneous company we may rub against some complete stranger who will, with luck, turn into the best friend we have in the world."

The above quote and so many more are featured in The Secret, Book and Scone Society. This was my very ...more

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Sep 07, 2017 Lisa Morin rated it it was amazing

I finished this book late into Monday night. I couldn't put it down.
This book is so much more than a cozy mystery. It's an amazing tale about four very different women who find themselves involved in a mystery that is tearing their small town apart.
Nora owns a book shop, and helps to heal those customers who need it, by suggesting books, she's a biblio-therapist.
June is the manager of a luxury spa, Estella owns a hair salon and Hester owns her bakery, where comfort scones are her specialty.
When ...more

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Nov 01, 2017 Sue Em rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle, netgalley

Have you ever started a book and within just a few pages known that you were going to love it? It's rare, but special when it happens, and it happened when I started to read this one.

It has all the elements...books and references to other books, women's friendships, a realistic and intelligent plot, well-drawn characters and just a little extra -- not so much paranormal, but more magical realism.

Nora has made a new life for herself in Miracle Springs, N.C. When she refuses to believe the death ...more

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Nov 04, 2018 Mellie Antoinette rated it really liked it

This was the perfect adorable cozy fall mystery I was hoping for. The book references were perfectly woven into the story and a propos for the plot line. The hint of warm ovens, old leather bindings, and small town living like a comforting blanket. Plus, hello Jedediah Craig. #purr!

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Sep 04, 2017 Amy rated it it was amazing

This is the first book in a new series by Ellery Adams. It was just as enchanting to read as is looking at the cover of the book.
We get to meet four powerful, and damaged women living in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. A town known where people travel to for healing.
When a man is found dead these four women decide to search for answers and the truth.
I have read Ellery Adams other series and love them, but this to me is her best.
A story how very different individuals can form friendships.

I ...more

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Oct 12, 2017 Daniele rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2017

4.5 stars

THE SECRET, BOOK, AND SCONE SOCIETY is one of the best books I have read this year. Over the years, Ellery Adams has penned some of my favorite cozy mysteries, and I was excited to read this first book in a new series. THE SECRET, BOOK, AND SCONE SOCIETY is a bit darker than the typical cozy but hits all of the trade mark criteria, including a lovely small town setting, amateur sleuths, and a murder or two.

The story is set in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, where the healing waters 4.5 stars

THE SECRET, BOOK, AND SCONE SOCIETY is one of the best books I have read this year. Over the years, Ellery Adams has penned some of my favorite cozy mysteries, and I was excited to read this first book in a new series. THE SECRET, BOOK, AND SCONE SOCIETY is a bit darker than the typical cozy but hits all of the trade mark criteria, including a lovely small town setting, amateur sleuths, and a murder or two.

The story is set in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, where the healing waters draw tourists and those seeking to sooth what ails them. Local bookstore owner Nora Pennington has some special skills of her own, calling herself a bibliotherapist. She is quite adept at listening to her customers and choosing books that she thinks they need to read. How cool is that? Nora is fighting her own inner battle – she has closed herself off to personal relationships and has scars that go far beyond those she received in a fire. When a man she meets in the park fails to keep his appointment with her and is killed by a train, she refuses to believe that he killed himself. When three other women, baker Hester, beautician Estella, and thermal pools employee June, agree with her, they set out to investigate. However, they must first learn to trust each other and agree to share their deepest, darkest secrets with each other. Thus The Secret, Book, and Scone Society is born. When a business colleague of the victim is also murdered and Estella arrested for the crime, the other three do all they can to solve the mystery.

THE SECRET, BOOK, AND SCONE SOCIETY is so much more than a murder mystery full of deception and corruption. At its core, it is a story of friendship, trust, redemption, and healing. Adams excels at creating strong, yet flawed, relatable female characters, and here is no exception. Nora, Hester, June, and Estella’s personalities are as varied as their secrets, and I really feel like I got to know all of them very well. They are so realistically drawn that they leap off the page and stay with you long after the last sentence is read. I now consider them my friends. Paramedic Jedadiah Craig, who has some secrets of his own, is a charming addition to the cast of characters, and I look forward to seeing where his relationship with Nora goes.

The mystery surrounding Neil Parrish’s death in intriguing, and I felt compelled to keep reading, impatiently trying to figure out how all of the puzzle pieces of the mystery fit together. There are several suspects and enough uncertainty along the way to keep me guessing. The climactic, dangerous revelation, including the identity of one of those involved in the murders, left me breathless.

I cannot wait to see what Adams has in store for The Society in future installments. I highly recommend THE SECRET, BOOK, AND SCONE SOCIETY to any reader seeking a strong cast of characters and thought provoking plot.

I received an ARC of this title and voluntarily shared my thoughts and opinions here.

...more

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Nov 04, 2017 LORI CASWELL rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2017

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Nora Pennington has come to Miracle Springs, North Carolina to escape a terrible tragedy. She feels safe in her bookstore helping her customers find their own healing in the books she chooses for them. Hester runs the Gingerbread House bakery. Customers tell her a little bit about their lives and what brought them to Miracle Springs. Then she bakes them up a “comfort scone”. She and Nora work together by sending their customers to each other’s stores. June works at the hot Dollycas’s Thoughts

Nora Pennington has come to Miracle Springs, North Carolina to escape a terrible tragedy. She feels safe in her bookstore helping her customers find their own healing in the books she chooses for them. Hester runs the Gingerbread House bakery. Customers tell her a little bit about their lives and what brought them to Miracle Springs. Then she bakes them up a “comfort scone”. She and Nora work together by sending their customers to each other’s stores. June works at the hot springs spa where people come to rejuvenate themselves and Estella is a beautician who tries to help her clients find their true selves. These 4 women were very introverted, had no friends, and barely knew each other until a man left Hester’s bakery on his way to Nora’s bookstore and never arrived. Soon after, he is found dead on the railroad tracks. The local police quickly rule the death a suicide but these ladies can’t believe that is true. Together they form the Secret, Book & Scone Society and decide that together they can find the truth and get justice for a man they didn’t even know.

This is such a special story, so much more than a cozy mystery, but a story where the characters bring hope to others while examining their own lives. They are each in places of needing healing themselves and over the course of this story a heartwarming bond is formed. These characters are written with a loving hand as we learn throughout the book the traumas they have endured to become the woman they are today. At first they read as timid characters but their strength grows with the turn of each page. Ellery Adams is known for creating characters that readers want to know better. These character are absolutely wonderful. They are compassionate, engaging and relatable and believable. Characters you would want to be friends with if you could jump into the book. I want to join their society.

The mystery itself was a curious one. Neil Parrish was a business man clearly at a crosswords that he was unsure how to handle. Knowing nothing of the man Nora and the rest of Secret, Book & Scone Society had to do some research and legwork including sneaking around in places that put them in danger. For me it was like a huge puzzle with too many pieces. Some information moved their investigation forward, some sent them in circles, or was just interesting but may not have anything to do with Parrish’s death. I was intrigued and entertained following along for each new discovery. I was holding my breath for the climatic scenes. Wow!

Miracle Springs is a very interesting place and a fantastic setting for this series. I think we have barely scratched the surface of the potential stories that can be gleaned from the town and its residents. As someone trying to heal myself from a variety of things in my life I wish I could actually travel there for my “comfort” scone and my bag of books that would set my healing on a clear course.

I have loved everything I have read by this author. She is such a talented writer and she has created something truly magical in this story. I am excited to see where she takes this series. This amazing story was a true trip to PARADISE. What a extraordinary escape! ...more

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Sep 11, 2017 Jennifer Muller rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2017, giveaways

Okay. This book was magic. I have a book hangover.

*Note- There will be no spoilers. I don't believe in writing reviews with spoilers.*

Good Lord. Not every author has the gift of bringing out emotions so thoroughly, but Ellery is definitly one of the best. She really just reaches into your soul and pulls everything out. Case in point, I had only hit page 7 and my tear ducts were at work.

There are several serious moments throughout the book but it makes it more realistic. Miracle Springs is a Okay. This book was magic. I have a book hangover.
☕
*Note- There will be no spoilers. I don't believe in writing reviews with spoilers.*
🍃

Good Lord. Not every author has the gift of bringing out emotions so thoroughly, but Ellery is definitly one of the best. She really just reaches into your soul and pulls everything out. Case in point, I had only hit page 7 and my tear ducts were at work.

🍃
There are several serious moments throughout the book but it makes it more realistic. Miracle Springs is a place where souls go to heal, and the book centers around four women who form the "society" and become friends in order to solve a strangers murder that the police department shove under the rug. Hester is the baker, Nora the bookstore owner, June the spa worker and Estella the hairdresser. Nora suggests that they all have to share their secrets in order to trust each other.
🍃

As each secret is revealed we understand more about the character and why they haven't made friends in Miracle Springs.
I loved the character growths in the book. Not only the progression from almost strangers to great friends, but I felt like they each grew stronger throughout the book.
🍃
The names of the beverages that Nora offers at her bookshop are fantastic! The Wilkie Collins (cappuccino) and the Agatha ChrisTea (Earl Grey) to name a few.
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Let's talk about Jed. He's delicious. He also happens to deliver my favorite quote in the book: Your scars make you different, yes. But they're not all I see when I look at you. To me, they just add another dimension to your beauty. (I melted)
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I love that Nora has the ability to talk to someone for a few minutes and put together a booklist for them. I think that's the best superpower!
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The descriptions of food throughout the book are mouthwatering. Hester's comfort scones sound devine. If I had to choose my flavors for the best comfort scone for me, it would be a lemon scone with blueberry drizzle to bring forth memories of my late best friend.
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When an author has the ability to pull you into the story so thoroughly that you forget what you're doing(for example: cooking on the grill), that's magic. I finished the book in one day, and it is on my "read again" shelf. There's no other way to say it, the book was magic. ...more

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Aug 18, 2017 Paige rated it it was amazing

What a better way to spend time than in a Ellery Adams book. Just on seeing the cover I am enchanted. The title The Secret, Book and Scone Society contains two of my favorite things books and scones. The cover shows a plate of scones, a stack of books, a cup of tea and an open book and I am loving it. This is the first book in Ellery's new series and I am already waiting for the second book.
One of Ellery Adams's strong suits is creating powerful and real female characters. On page one I met ...more

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Sep 21, 2017 Sue Ross rated it it was amazing

You know how people say when one door closes another one opens? Well, one of Ellery Adams series has ended, but she has given me a new series. She has introduced me to new friends, a special bookshop and bakery and a new crush. I would love to live in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. So when Nora sells one of her special books to a stranger to town, and he is soon after murdered, she and her friends set out to figure out what happened. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

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Aug 23, 2017 Sheila Siarkiewicz rated it it was amazing

One of the best books I've read this year! Well developed characters that by the end of the book you feel as if you've known them forever and a well though out murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book!

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Aug 28, 2017 Missy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: cozymysteries, bibliomysteries, homage-to-books

"Becoming a reader is a change for the better. Trust me. No one has ever lost by becoming addicted to stories..." ~Nora Pennington

Trust me, you'll be better after reading this first book in Ellery's new series. We're introduced to four dynamic, determined, daring, and damaged women who live in the unique town of Miracle Springs. Their lives intersect because of small town life, but they choose to establish and build relationships to become connected and thus overcome loneliness. So, surrounded ...more

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Oct 12, 2017 JoAn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, arc

The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams was a strong beginning to a new series. It was more than a cozy mystery as Ms. Adams combined very detailed descriptions of the four main women characters in the book. I thought of this book as a combination mystery and women's fiction.

Nora, Hester, Estella and June are some of the strongest, determined and loneliest women I have ever met in a book. Their stories as they are revealed during the mystery had me tearing up and cheering them on as ...more

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Aug 16, 2017 Fred rated it it was amazing

This book was very interesting, keep my attention long into the night and had very believable characters. I loved how she developed the personalities of her wonderful female characters, stressing the individuality of each one but showing how their friendships and love and respect for each other blossomed. I learned a lot about various authors due to the bookstore and have added many to my reading list! I highly recommend this book.

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Aug 29, 2017 Sandy rated it it was amazing

I really really loved this book I didn't want to stop reading it and go to bed. I highly recommend it.

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Oct 08, 2019 Kylie H rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime, chick-lit, cosy-mystery

This is the first in a cosy mystery series. It took me a couple of chapters to get into the book, but I found after this I started to enjoy the story and like the characters.
Nora runs the bookstore in a small town, she spends time getting to know her customers and then selects books especially suited to their circumstances to try and help them through issues that they may be dealing with. She considers herself an amateur bibliotherapist. Through some unfortunate circumstances she finds herself ...more

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Oct 02, 2017 The Cozy Review rated it really liked it

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is supposed to be a place of healing. People flock to the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and a renowned spa. But when none of the usual treatments help they land at Miracle Books. With a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House, they tell Nora Pennington their troubles. Nora can always find the perfect book to help them in ways other treatments can’t.

When a visiting businessman speaks with to Nora while sitting on a park bench, she knows ...more

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Sep 15, 2017 Deborah Almada rated it it was amazing

Shelves: cozy-mysteries

I am a big fan of Ellery Adams, so I was very excited to be able to read an ARC copy of the first book in her new series, The Secret, Book, & Scone Society. The compelling thing about Ms Adams books are her very interesting characters and her sense of time and place. These are very evident in this book, our heroine Nora, and her posse, (the other members of the society) are all real women, with scars internally and externally, and compassion built out of some of life's hard lessons. Miracle ...more

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Aug 29, 2017 Pat Plummer rated it it was amazing

This latest in Ellery Adams' serieses is one of the best ever. The tone is both cozy, but with a more serious and thoughtful overtone. Four women who live in Miracle Springs, NC, a small mountain town, each has a secret that is in someway controlling their lives. They also have special talents that help the residents and visitors in the town. Nora owns a used-and-new bookstore; Estella has a salon and can work miracles with hair, June works at the resort in the area and Hester has the ability to ...more

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Sep 27, 2017 Book rated it it was amazing

Shelves: cozy-mystery

The first in a new series, this book redefines 'cozy mystery' in an interesting way with a refreshing perspective.

From the opening scene the reader's sense of what's going on is challenged and by the end of the first chapter curiosity quickly builds. What's fascinating about this book are several things. First, it is a well developed mystery. Second, the story works on a couple of levels - there's the mystery, there are finely drawn characters and relationships, and then there is the very ...more

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About Ellery Adams

Ellery Adams

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USA Today and New York Times bestseller author, Ellery Adams, has written over thirty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, drinks vats of coffee, spoils her three cats, and snacks on black ...more

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Secret, Book, & Scone Society (3 books)

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“I prefer cinnamon twists over scones because they’re easier to eat while I’m reading. That’s my main priority when it comes to food. Other people are obsessed with calories, nutritional value, antioxidants. I look at food and wonder: Can I eat that without having to put my book down?” — 7 likes

“You’ve got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down. —Ray Bradbury” — 4 likes

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